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Sumner's first wiretap leads to 34 drug arrests

Local and federal law enforcement agencies will hold a press conference Thursday morning in Gallatin to announce the results of a "yearlong investigation into drug and gang activity" in the city of Gallatin and Sumner County.

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Sumner's first wiretap leads to 34 drug arrests

Josh Cross, jcross@mtcngroup.com
3:56 p.m. CDT August 21, 2014

Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley speaks during a press conference Thursday in Gallatin to announce the arrest of 33 individuals resulting from a yearlong drug and gang activity investigation.
(Photo:
Josh Cross/Staff
)

Authorities have arrested one of the additional eight suspects indicted on drug charges.

Vicky Scott, 57, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin. She has been booked into the Sumner County Jail.

Previously reported

More than 30 individuals have been arrested as the result of a yearlong investigation into drug and gang activity in Gallatin and Sumner County, and authorities say more arrests are coming.

Sumner County District Attorney Ray Whitley, along with representatives from local, state and federal agencies announced Thursday during a press conference in Gallatin the arrest of 33 individuals accused of being involved in the drug trafficking and distribution trade of heroin, cocaine and/or marijuana in and around Sumner County.

The arrests come as a result of a more than yearlong joint investigation conducted in Sumner County by the Sumner County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

"This is certainly not going to take every drug off the street, but it is going to be a major impact here in Sumner County and the surrounding areas because what we've done is we have arrested people who have been involved in this activity for some time," Whitley said. "There are some major players, and I think it will have a smothering effect on the drugs and drug activity here in this area for quite a while."

Beginning at 4 a.m. Wednesday, approximately 100 law enforcement officers with 17 local, state and federal agencies began locating and arresting the suspects who were indicted by a Sumner County grand jury during a special session held Monday, Whitley said.

Suspects were arrested in Gallatin, Hendersonville, Portland, Madison, Goodlettsville and other parts of Middle Tennessee including Davidson County.

"Many of these defendants have conducted their activity in and out of Davidson County transporting drugs from (there) into Sumner County," Whitley said. "We all know it's growing very fast, and unfortunately crime and drug activities is growing and that is the reason that we've attacked this so aggressively."

Of those arrested, 29 are charged with conspiracy to distribute, sell and traffic cocaine, six are charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, eight are charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and two are charged with money laundering.

To date, authorities have seized more than $230,000 in cash, more than $200,000 in jewelry and electronics, 27 vehicles, guns, cocaine, heroin and marijuana as part of the investigation, Whitley said. Eight additional suspects, who have also been indicted, are expected to be arrested "very shortly."

Gallatin Police Chief Don Bandy said that the scope of the investigation and number of the arrests is "enormous" for the city.

"This is important for this community to let them know that we are on the job, and we're trying our best to make this a safe place to live," Bandy said. "We've done roundups in the past, but for this to be of this kind of scale is just huge."

The suspects were booked into the Sumner County Jail on bond amounts ranging from $2,500 up to $1 million, Whitley said. Three additional suspects are currently in jail outside Sumner County on other charges. A special arraignment date for the suspects has been set for 1 p.m. Sept. 5 in Sumner County Criminal Court.

'Historic' wiretap

The probe began as a result of information learned from the investigations of two homicides in Gallatin in April and July of 2013.

"Once we started doing an investigation and digging, we started finding out some things and identifying some folks," Bandy said. "Everybody knows there is probably an issue with narcotics, but we didn't know that it was reaching out as widespread as it was."

"We have never had a wiretap in the history of Sumner County," Whitley said. "(It) gave us a unique and extraordinary opportunity to look into the secret world of drug dealers, drug traffickers, drug distributors and their agents that got the actual drugs out on the street."

Michael Stanfill, an assistant special agent in charge with the DEA, described the wiretap as perhaps the most efficient way to identify organization members and "completely dismantle the organization." As a result, agents were able to identify those involved from street-level dealers all the way up to the sources that supply them.

"It would not have been nearly as successful as it has been (without the wiretaps)," Whitley said. "It allows us to find out information that otherwise would not be found out. Also it will hopefully send a message out to people that are breaking the law and people that are involved in drug activity that there are a lot of different ways that law enforcement can solve crimes and catch you at your various activities."